Fortress of Armryt
by Yed Yeddicus
Summary: Both the Order of the Argent Shroud and the Order of the wounded heart have dispatched forces to support the space marine chapter; Roaring Lions, 5th company in an ongoing crusade against insurrections within the region. An act of Heresy separates the forces and Sister Superior, Zethina is caught in the crossfire.
1. Prologue

The room was lit by dozens of lamp packs hastily hung from the walls and strange scented perfumes were thick in the air. Canoness Taula of the Order of the Argent shroud looked up at the dozen crimson red and gold marines stood before her. The bulky warriors parted and held their fists over the golden lion centered on their chests in a salute.

_The roaring Lions: 5__th__ Company. _

Both her order, _the Order of the Argent Shroud_ and their sister order, _the order of the Wounded heart_, had dispatched little under a hundred battle sisters collectively with a dozen immolators, several exorcists and four penitent engines to support this company against the heretical insurgencies that the region was suffering.

They were all currently in the fortress of Armryt, the fortress had stood for at least five hundred years and had been used to defend the neighbouring hive city, Keelo Prime.

The ancient structure was large enough to house both the ecclesiarch and the space marine forces, upon the turret structures on the wall, sniper teams assisted by Retributor squads stood vigiliant and manning the walls Marines and Battle Sisters stood together.

They had returned here after their last engagement within the streets of Keelo, in which they had put over thirteen hundred cultists to the sword. The cultists had spoken praise for the Emperor to their last breaths, claiming that both the Space marines and the Ecclesiarch forces were agents of Chaos and dissent. The insults had made her battle sisters fight harder and no mercy was offered, the marines waded through the streams of people slaughtering as they went, no one was spared.

Taula removed a strand of white hair that blocked her eyes and strode through the space the marines had made, stopping at the large oak table that was in the centre of the room. Quickly following her was the Celestian retinue that acted as her command squad. Dialogus, Lyra stood to her right, the large parchments hanging loosely off of her silver battle armour and the laud hailer bright from recent polishing. Then filing in to her left stood Celestian, Castella, standing with a gauntleted hand resting on the hilt of her sheathed power sword.

Behind them stood another three Celestians each armed with Storm bolters. Silver helmets with red trim hid their faces and all of them were watching the marines gathered.

Taula looked around the room and noticed a lot of regular marines were present. The crimson and gold trim marines lined the walls still as statues and turning back, she realised that the marines who had parted for them had filed back, blocking the door.

"We were told a briefing was being held." Her strong voice echoed around the near soundless room. "Where is Captain Praetus?"

A set of heavy footsteps was heard from the back of the room. Taula turned and once again the marines parted to let Captain Praetus through. The captain shared the other marines' colours, but his helmet was forged into that of a lion's head, the teeth bared and the mane intricate and wild. Upon his leg rested a bolt pistol and on the other a large power sword with a lion crested hilt. His cape draped over his shoulder pads and dragged along the floor as he walked.

Flanking him was a Chaplain; this was obvious from the fact that his armour was jet black apart from his left shoulder that shared the other marines' colours and a skull helmet donned upon his head. Since arriving on this planet she had not once seen the chaplain's face. His ornate helmet forever hid his features and he barely spoke, Taula had not seen him during any of the battles either.

Also following the captain was the company champion who held his combat shield upon his right arm and his left hand rested upon the hilt of his own sword.

The Captain and the chaplain came to stand opposite Taula and the Celestians while the champion walked past them to join the marines to their rear. The Captain reached up and removed his helmet with a hiss from the armour, revealing his scarred yet handsome face and his well-grown blonde hair.

"Canoness Taula." He said with a smile. "Sorry to have kept you waiting."

Taula dismissed the notion with a wave of the hand. "Let us proceed."

The Chaplain cocked his head slightly before speaking.

"Where are Cannoness Lethe and Preacher Kyroren?"

"It would appear they are running late. I have sent one of my sisters to find them; I shall relay anything they miss." Taula replied coolly, "Now. Let us proceed."

The Chaplain and the Captain gave each other a look before quickly turning back to her.

"Yes let's." Praetus agreed. "After both your own and Lethe's orders sent us your support force we have made a considerable amount of progress in this sector of the region. After taking the neighboring city and relieving the PDF defenders of this fortress we believe we have the insurgents on the run."

Taula nodded. She was listening, but her eyes were scanning the marines assembled around them. All were in full battle plate and armed with an array of weaponry, this was not rare as they were still in an active warzone, yet all of them still donned their helmets and stared back at her.

"What is the next course of action?" Taula said, looking into Praetus' pale blue eyes.

"The next phase is to remove the undesirables and head on to phase three." He smiled as he spoke.

Suddenly from outside the room, the clunky cracks of bolter fire could be heard echoing through the drafty halls. Taula turned and expected the marines behind her to mobilise at once, but they remained staring back at her. Before she could say anything, the Captain spoke again.

"Tell me, Canoness, what alerted the Inquisition to us?"

Taula turned back to him and raised an eyebrow. "To you?"

The Captain nodded. "What gave the Inquisition reason to suspect?"

Taula noticed Castella had inched her sword out of its scabbard an inch and had stepped one foot back.

"You have been fighting these insurrections for months now and we were dispatched to support you." Taula said slowly, "You know this, yes?"

The sounds of gunfire outside were growing louder now, explosions adding to the noise and still the marines present remained. _Something is wrong._

"Yes I know the lie you told to weasel your way in here, Wench." Praetus' face screwed up into a visage of hatred as he spoke.

"Canoness Taula come in!" Taula's vox piece suddenly crackled into life, the voice that spoke belonged to Sister Superior Halie and was accompanied by the sound of erratic gunfire.

Before Taula could react, the room exploded into an orgy of flashing lights and explosive gunfire so loud that her ears felt as if they would bleed.

Taula's eyes widened as she saw the marines around her were firing into her command squad. She turned just in time to see Castella fall with her power sword flailing. Her silver armour was ruptured in several placed and splattered with crimson blood that blended in with the fabric and the armour trim she wore.

Lyra cried out as a bolt round detonated within her elbow and sent the entirety of her forearm spinning away. The bone of the rest of her arm jutted out awkwardly and she fell to the hard ground with blood spraying profusely from a dozen other wounds. Her body was obliterated as the shots literally tore her apart.

The message coming over the vox network was drowned out under the intense noise around them.

Taula turned back to the captain and drew her power sword in one motion.

"Face me, traitor!" Her sword was pointed at his head. The Captain smiled smugly.

Before she could make a move, Taula felt a sudden and burning pain shoot through the back of her shoulder and then through her chest. Her arm spasmed and the power sword fell from her limp fingers.

She attempted to say something but instead spluttered a small spray of blood from her mouth. Looking down at the source of pain she saw the glowing form of a power sword protruding through the right side of her breastplate.

The gunfire in the room stopped and she slumped to her knees, the Champion's sword slid free as she fell, no less painful than it was going in.

"Get her up." Praetus' voice sounded distant and the next thing she knew, two sets of hands lifted her up by the arms. Her wound surged with pain as they lifted her, but she would not cry out, not for them.

"Look at me."

Her head hung loosely. She had neither the energy nor the inclination to raise it. On the floor around her, blood pooled and she could see the severed limb that Lyra had lost.

"Look at me!" A gauntleted hand grabbed her pure white hair and yanked her head upwards.

The Canoness looked into the blue eyes of Skyvar Praetus, Captain of the Roaring lions 5th Company, and recognised the taint of Chaos clear as day, how had she not seen it before? His eyes were filled with hate; squirming and staring at her hard but they bore no life within them, no spark, no humanity. The Chaplain next to him stood immobile, his skull-faced helm hiding any emotion he might be showing.

"All of your sisters are dead." His face twisted into a cruel grin as he taunted her.

Taula tried to curse him, but her words came out as a wheeze and a dribble of blood.

"I can't hear you, and neither can your false Emperor." He let go of her hair. Her head dropped once more and she began to murmur a prayer as the room blackened around her.

She faintly heard the cocking of a bolt pistol and she knew the end was here.

She cleared her throat as best she could. Shuddering, she rallied the last strength available to her and raised her head to look up at the barrel of the pistol that the captain had bore on her. She screamed with a splutter of blood.

"I die for the Emperor of mankind! Your time will come Heret-"

The pistol fired and her head jolted back. The round detonated within her skull and caused the contents to explode out the back of her skull.

The two marines dropped the lifeless body to the floor and stepped away.

Captain Praetus turned to Chaplain Eisen.

"I want a report of the battle in the Fortress, we can't allow any of them to spread the word of this." His words were echoed by another loud explosion from outside.

"Not to worry, My Lord." Eisen replied, "We had two devastator teams ready by their vehicle bay and the element of surprise."

"Good, it was a risk to kill these wenches with Hyroxes so close, and what of the other Cannoness? And the Preacher?"

"They will be taken care of soon enough, my Lord and by the time Hyroxes realises what has happened, we will be in position to strike at them."

"My empire begins today, Eisen." Praetus sneered down at the Canoness' immolated corpse. "From here, I will make this sector bleed."


	2. Chapter 1: Pain, suffering and Rise

Sister Superior Zethina had never experienced such pain in her entire life. She winced as she made an effort to open her eyes. She realised that she was face down in the mud within the courtyard that had acted as her squad's practise area. The courtyard was situated on a higher level of the fortress and was surrounded by corridors that led off to different sections. Her squad's makeshift quarters were near here which made the courtyard perfect for their needs.

Her dirtied white hair was stuck to the front of her face and she could smell the rust like tang of blood amongst the dirt.

"_How…?"_

Then she remembered. How strange it had been when the dozen or so crimson marines entered the courtyard in full plate and armed, how none of them spoke a word before…before…

Zethina gritted her teeth and in a hoarse voice said:

"Traitors."

Her eyes opened fully now. The sight that greeted her was not a pleasant one at all.

She was indeed lying in the mud; it had blended with blood to form a putrid mixture of liquid and amongst this mix lay the bodies of her sisters.

Her head rolled over and she cringed; the bloody body of Sister Maritha lay next to her, her features contorted and a visible wound from a bolter in her stomach had torn her frame apart from within. Past her body lay others, Sarathiel, Margaery, Joss… Their silver armoured forms were difficult to look at. All lay pale and lifeless, some were missing limbs and all of their bodies had been left here in the muck.

But they were not alone.

Zethina's attention was suddenly caught by the large Crimson and gold lump lying in front of Sister Joss's immolated corpse.

It was the body of a space marine, a space marine from the Roaring Lions chapter's fifth company to be exact. A traitor. Zethina bared her teeth and winced as her facial muscles groaned in protest. She then moved her stiff arms and pushed at the ground. Her hands sunk an inch before hitting something solid, she pushed herself up and ignored her burning muscles.

Zethina's feeble ascension was met by silence. She looked around from her new vantage point and winced at the sights around her.

The rest of her squad's soiled corpses, as well as the mortals who had attended them were visible now, none had escaped. To the nine dead sisters there were only two space marine corpses.

A lesser woman would have broken down in grief, but not Zethina. She was a Sister of the ecclesiarchy, and there were traitors in their midst.

She pushed herself backwards and landed on her rump. She groaned in pain again but did her best to ignore spotted her power sword lying to her right, the blade had not shed any of the traitors' blood and was now instead covered in the blood of her sisters and the mud they lay in. She once again looked to Maritha's pale face.

"You shall be avenged." She vowed quietly before closing her eyes and muttering a prayer to the Emperor. "Give me strength, cast your light on me within this darkness."

Her prayer was suddenly interrupted by the sound of distant and sporadic gunfire. Bolters.

She perked her head up and listened. The boom of an explosion did nothing to silence the constant crackle of shots that echoed through the air.

"Ghh"

Zethina instinctively drew the plasma pistol on her belt and turned towards the new noise and aimed the pistol in a single movement. Her eyes narrowed.

One of the hulking crimson and gold corpses was stirring. The marine was on his front, his legs were starting to push against the ground and his gauntleted hands were clawing out in front of him feebly.

Zethina picked up her soiled sword from the mud and using a newfound strength within her, stood up.

Her muddy porcelain features twisted into a visage of anger and she began to stride towards the wounded marine. She made no effort to move quietly and thus the Marine stopped moving and made an attempt to turn.

Zethina's boot crashed down on the marine's back and forced him down again.

"Gah!" He growled.

"Silence, Traitor." Zethina replied as she readied her sword.

"You would kill an unarmed warrior while he is wounded?" The Marine laughed. "I guess the Emperor's purest have no such honour after all."

Zethina's eyes widened in anger at the insult, she activated the power sword and drove it through the marine's back at an upward angle. The marine gurgled in pain and jerked.

"You showed neither my sisters, nor I the courtesy, and neither will I to you." She hissed as she forced the blade further.

The marine did not reply, he jerked once more and then relinquished his last breath.

Zethina withdrew the sword, the blood upon it crackled and danced along the now active blade. She allowed a satisfactory grin.

Another loud explosion rang out over the courtyard and she turned away from the dead marine. The body littered courtyard was open topped and had four doors that led to several passages within the fortress. The two ahead of the marine's corpse was where the marines had originally come from, and the direction that the noise was originating.

Zethina took one more remorseful look at her sisters' bodies. She wished with all her being that she could bury and honour each and every one of them, but the situation did not allow for it. She had to find Cannoness Taula or Cannoness Lethe; if either of them had survived the betrayal they would know what to do.

She placed her sword back in its sheath and held her plasma pistol with both hands and then began to head towards the double doors ahead of her. The doors had been damaged in the ambush, evident by the dozen or so holes that had been punched in by bolt rounds. She pulled the door open and cautiously began to enter.

Putting her head around the doorframe carefully, she raised the plasma pistol to bear on whatever she saw.

The dark corridor that met her held no immediate threats and she took a step in. She walked along the corridor at a careful but speedy pace, making sure to keep her plasma pistol raised and ready as she went. As she turned a corner, she grimaced.

Littering this part of the corridor were the bodies of the mortals who had served within the fortress; PDF soldiers, serving women, children. None had been spared, their corpses were mutilated and their blood painted the walls. These people had had no real armour and more importantly these people were no threat, bolt rounds tore people like this apart with ease.

At the end of the corridor was a large golden handled door that was left slightly ajar.

Zethina approached cautiously and soon saw what was causing the door to remain open. Another PDF trooper's corpse lay between the door and its frame, the man's head was not present and neither was his left arm.

Zethina took a slow step over the corpse and edged through the door.

Only a dozen or so small candles hanging from the ceiling lit the room that the door led into, there must have been quite a struggle in here evident from the overturned tables, blood splattered floor boards and the state of total disarray that it was in.

She grimaced as she spotted a pair of Repentia sister bodies lying near the door across the room. They had both been gutted it looked like and one of them had been cut in half from the waist.

Taking long and confident steps, she made her way across the room in a dozen paces. The noise of distant gunfire didn't sound so distant now. She was getting closer.

This door seemed to be undamaged and when Zethina attempted to open it found it was locked. With a quick and precise kick to the handle, the door swung open and smacked into the wall on the other side. As soon as the door had opened, a light source shone into the dark room and illuminated more of its features.

The sight that greeted Zethina when she walked over to the window that sat opposite the door she had kicked open was shocking. The window faced down to the centre of the fortress that lay open like a large courtyard and it had been reduced from the active buzz of vehicles being serviced and aligned with beautiful statues, to a wreck. The slabs and brickwork that made up the ground had been torn up and craters were visible everywhere, mud and earth from beneath had been forced up and stained the remaining slabs that lay undamaged. There were several Exorcist tanks lying in ruin, two of which had been disabled before they had even had a chance to move, another one was lying in pieces a few feet away from the rest, littering the floor around them were the bodies of the crews who manned them and those of servitors and tech priests.

This was all overshadowed by the fact that the entire courtyard was alive with the sound of gunfire. Zethina spotted at least two-dozen crimson and gold marines taking cover inside the larger craters and moving towards the side of the courtyard that her window faced. The part of the courtyard that they strived towards was made up of a separate barracks that was now covered in collapses, but from every dark crevice that it held, flashes of bolter fire were being returned toward the marines.

Dotting the edges of the barracks were the corpses of Roaring Lion marines, all lying face down in the mud except one who had been beheaded and was leant against the wall for all to see.

Zethina spotted a marine get struck by a bolt round and drop to the floor, his squad leaving him as they sought cover. Her heart lifted.

Her sisters had survived and better yet, they were fighting back.


	3. Chapter 2: Respite and clarity

A heavy bolter wielding marine stood from his cover and fired a heavy sounding burst from his weapon into one of the barracks' gaping wounds. His fire was responded to with a blistering hail of returned fire from another crevice, two of the shots striking the marine in the face. His head exploded and he fell backwards into another marine.

Zethina hugged against the wall next to the window and hazarded a look over the windowsill, just below her were two marines, one held a scanner and the other a plasma gun.

"Scanner is picking up at least twenty, estimating between twenty and thirty of them." The marine holding the scanner said.

"That's less than yesterday, they do not have the numbers to sustain." The other replied confidently.

"The Captain needs them gone immediately." The other insisted. "If word reaches Heroxes…"

Zethina's eyes widened at the mention of Heroxes. Heroxes was an airfield not twenty miles from the fortress. Situated upon the airfield was the two Orders' combined air force made up of mainly Avenger strike fighters and Valkyrie support units.

"Communications are jammed, Brother. They will not spread word of this. The rest of our forces will return from the city tomorrow and we will have the physical man power to over run them."

Zethina gritted her teeth in anger, but then she allowed a feral grin to spread across her beautiful and hard face.

She levelled her plasma pistol over the windowsill and aimed at the Marine holding the plasma gun's head. She pulled the trigger and let loose the vision straining salvo that plasma weaponry unleashed. The blue pulse of energy sailed through the air and punched into the back of the marine's neck vambrace, melting through the armour with ease.

The marine cried out pitifully and dropped his weapon, his hands reached back at the plasma that was now dissolving his armour and he screamed. His arms flailed and he fell to the ground cursing.

The marine holding the scanner stepped back in surprise then looked behind them, seeing no one. Zethina wasted no time; she pulled the trigger again and sent another bright shot flying towards him. This shot took to the marine's thigh and caused him to topple over immediately, the scanner falling to the floor as he did.

"Gah!" The marine roared out, his leg had almost entirely been severed by the time he had landed and he cursed as he tried to push himself up.

Zethina unleashed one more shot that struck the vulnerable marine in the chest and silenced him once and for all before turning on her heel and looking for a way to the lower level.

She made her way across the hallway and went down the large brick steps two at a time, making sure to keep her pistol ready at all times. Once down the stairs, she kept to the left and saw a pair of open wooden doors that she suspected must have been level with the window she had fired from. Cautiously approaching it, she drew her power sword and thumbed the activation rune upon its hilt. The sword awoke and hummed into life.

Zethina had never been afraid to die, but she feared that she wouldn't be able to reach her sisters to die alongside them. She had to get across somehow.

She looked around the edge of the open door, lying on the ground were the two marines she had slain and past them was the no man's land that was being fought over. The nearest marines to her past the two before her, was a group of three who were taking cover in a small crater and firing their bolters into the ground floor of the barracks. In front of them was another four who were taking cover behind a mound of ground and slabs that had been forced up.

"_I will reach them, or die in the attempt." _Zethina's resolve was definite and she narrowed her eyes as she watched the marines ahead of her firing into her sisters' positions. She sprinted towards them.

The marines were completely oblivious to her, they continued firing and ducking from the incoming bolt rounds that were targeting them. The marine in the middle of the three stopped to reload and turned slightly as he grabbed a new magazine from his belt but then he stopped. In his peripheral vision he saw a flash of silver movement.

He turned and his eyes widened behind his helmet. A bloodied and silver armour clad sister of battle was mere feet away from him, her white hair was dirtied by blood and dirt and her face was a visage of pure hatred and anger. She carried a plasma pistol and a power sword, she had spotted his gaze and the plasma pistol had levelled toward him. Before he could utter a word, the plasma pistol fired and he died an instant later.

The other two marines saw their brother fall backwards in their crater and turned just as Zethina was upon them.

"For the God-Emperor of mankind!" Zethina felt a new strength rise within her and she swung her sword. The burning power of the blade easily bit through the marine's helmet and obliterated its way through his skull. She slid the blade out in the same movement and went to shoot the last marine but was stopped as he swung his bolter back at her. The weight of the gun combined with the marine's strength was devastating and she was thrown backwards.

She landed on one knee and managed to retain her grip on both her weapons. She glared back at the marine and aimed again.

The marine fired his bolter at her just as the plasma shot hit him. The bolt rounds slammed into Zethina, hard, She staggered and coughed before falling onto her back.

She spluttered and she breathed out in an agitated manner. She was aware of the marine flailing around on the ground ahead of her, her shot had hit him in the stomach and he was most likely in more pain than he could have ever imagined. She looked down and a wave of relief washed over her. Her power armour had taken the hits and saved her life, she rolled over and composed herself. The three marines were dead now and she had already set her sights on the marines ahead of her.

Looking down, she noticed the marines she had slain all had fragmentation grenades pinned to their belts. However the grenades were far too large for her, she would have to take the marines ahead of her by surprise once again.

"_Do my sisters see me?"_ She wondered to herself. _"They must, surely?"_

As if in direct response to her thoughts, from one of the shell wounds in the barracks there was a sudden flash of silver. She recognised the form of a Seraphim battle sister soar through the air. The Seraphim had white hair with tints of red in the roots, her silver armour was covered in battle damage, her red robes nearly a memory and she carried a bolt pistol in each hand.

Zethina watched the Seraphim soar through the air, firing her pistols down into the marines ahead of her all the while until she landed in front of Zethina.

"To cover, Sister!" The Seraphim said urgently and Zethina could see why. The four marines up ahead had followed the Seraphim's journey and had spotted them both.

Both Zethina and the Seraphim leapt into the crater with the three marines she had just dispatched and a moment later a flurry of bolter fire ricocheted over the lip of the crater.

"That was folly I fear, Sister." Zethina said. The Seraphim turned to her and gave a cocked smile.

"Wait for it."

The unique and as ever unusual noise of a melta weapon suddenly rang out over the courtyard and a moment later several marine roars followed. The Seraphim laughed before launching from the crater with the aid of her jump pack.

Zethina hazarded a look over the lip of the crater and smiled as she watched the Seraphim charge headlong into the marines who were already reeling from a melta blast. Their cover had been decimated by the shot and two of them had visible wounds that were still widening with the melta's heat. The Seraphim was firing her pistols into them and the last two jerked and perished under the fire, the Seraphim landed next to them and used their hulking bodies as cover from the marines who had moved up on the ruined exorcists.

Zethina went to stand up but a set of heavy and loud footsteps made her stop. She turned to look back at the barracks and to her amazement saw a Penitent Engine stomp out of one of the holes. The bipedal walker stopped for a moment before turning to face the piece of cover that the marines were taking cover behind and then in a scary display of speed charged towards it. The large buzzsaw like weapons on the end of each arm spun into life and the built in flamers began to spit the occasional flame into the crisp air.

The marines had noticed the noise but continued firing at the Seraphim's position their rounds hitting their dead brothers' corpses that the Seraphim took cover behind.

The Penitent Engine had reached the wrecked Exorcist now and turned the corner to face the marines. The marines immediately began to retreat but it was too late, promethium fuelled flame washed over them and they began to cry out.

Zethina turned and saw the Seraphim launch from her cover towards her.

"Sister, follow me." She ordered and though Zethina was a higher rank than her, she obeyed anyway.

The two of them began to run across the no man's land, the Seraphim stopping every now and again to fire at other marines around the area.

Zethina heard the Penitent engine stomp quickly behind them and across to another marine position, she continued to sprint towards the barracks.

Other marines positioned around the courtyard began to fire relentlessly at the two of them. Bolt rounds exploded all around their feet as they ran and Zethina had to force herself onward as a missile zoomed over her head, exploding several feet in front of her. Hazarding a look back, she saw the Penitent engine cut down into a group of marines behind a wrecked Immolator. The Buzzsaw separated the marine's legs from his torso and the flames that belched forth from its co-axial weapon caused the marines to break and retreat.

The Seraphim reached the entrance of the barracks first. The once well-fortified entrance had been reduced to a door-less wound that had been blocked hastily using tables and racks that had once been within. The seraphim launched herself over the blockade and turned back.

"Come, sister! Inside!"

Zethina grabbed the top of the blockade and swung herself over landing on one knee, the bolter fire coming from both outside and within the barracks had intensified now and the stomps of the penitent engine were growing closer.

The Seraphim strode over to a large steel door to her left and rapped her gauntleted fist against it. Seconds passed. The door then slowly opened and Zethina smiled as she recognised who had opened it.

"Sister Jezail!"

Jezail was part of Sister Superior Clementine's squad, the two squads had often trained together and were given joint tasks in battle, and Zethina knew them all well.

The black haired, dirty-faced sister behind the door returned a solemn smile and opened it fully.

"Well met, Sister Superior, Zethina. Come, hurry."

The Seraphim holstered her pistols and strode inside followed shortly by Zethina.

Through the door there was an immediate flight of stone stairs that led up to a corner with another door on the left, standing in front of the door was another one of her sisters. The woman stood with one of the iconic helmets of their order hiding her face and with a storm bolter pointing down at them. Bolter fire echoed from behind the door she guarded and from outside still.

"Proceed, Sisters. Hurry." The helmeted Sister urged.

Jezail led Zethina and the Seraphim up the stairs and the helmeted sister stepped aside for them as they walked through the door.

Zethina's spirit soared.

The door had led to a large hall of sorts that must have been used as a wreck room before this. Large benches were overturned and pushed up against any holes in the walls with many Sisters crouching behind them firing out into the courtyard.

There must have been at least eight or nine of Zethina's kin present and she could hear more gunfire both below her and behind the other set of doors across the room.

The Seraphim walked casually toward a group of three sisters who were taking it in turns to take cover and reload and firing out of their position. The Sister that the Seraphim approached was wielding the large form of a Multi-Melta and wore a gas mask that covered the lower part of her face. She was a member of their sister Order evident by the silver armour and white robes she wore rather than the silver and red that Zethina had.

The two sisters exchanged words and then the heavy weapon-wielding sister stood and followed the Seraphim back over to Jezail and Zethina.

"You are very fortunate, Sister." The Multi-melta wielding sister commented.

"I thank you for the cover." Zethina replied. "I am Sister Superior Zethina of fourth squad, who is in command here?"

"Canonness Lethe and Preacher Kyronev, Sister Superior."

_They're alive._ The thought washed a wave of relief over Zethina.

"And who are you both?" Zethina addressed both the heavy weapon Sister and the Seraphim.

"Sister Diona, Retributor squad _Irelia_, Sister Superior." Diona hefted her Multi Melta slightly as she spoke.

"Sister Kaltia, Seraphim Squad: _Angelic Intervention_."

"I thank you both for your aid, I must speak with the Canoness."

"She will see no one until the traitors slink back into the fortress." Kaltia said. "Until then, you are welcome to help us fend them off."

Zethina didn't like how the Seraphim did not refer to her by her title and how she presumed to give her orders, but in the midst of battle she would allow it.

Diona and Jezail jogged back across the room and took up firing positions by their fortified hole in the wall while the Seraphim ran across to the other side of the room next to another two Seraphim from the other Order. Zethina decided to stick with Jezail and crouched next to her.

Through the hole, Zethina could see the position where Diona had obliterated both the marines and the cover they had used and she could clearly see several marines retreating towards the inner fortress walls. Jezail fired a burst, as did the other two sisters next to her before Diona fired another blistering shot from her weapon.

One of the retreating marines jerked around and dropped, the melta shot struck another marine in the back causing his arms and legs to drop to the ground separate from the melting torso.

"They're retreating!" A shout from across the room rang out.

"A pity."

Zethina turned at the new voice.

Standing at the now open doors across the room was Canoness Lethe, leader of the Order of the wounded heart. She had a large scar running down her left cheek, her black hair was wild and slick from sweat and her silver armour was covered in the stains of blood and the damage of bolt detonations, her white robes were singed and torn and her face was in a constant state of grief and anger. In her right hand she held a large power maul and in her left, a masterly crafted combi plasma. Her Celestian command squad of three flanked her, two wielded flamers and the last one had a narcethium upon her arm.

"I would have liked to kill every single one."

The canoness strode into the room and all the sisters present stood away from their cover and saluted.

"Canoness Lethe." Diona lowered her head in respect as she spoke. "We have a newcomer."

Zethina stepped forwards and waited.

"A newcomer?" Canoness Lethe walked towards Zethina. "This is no newcomer, this is Sister Zethina, I have spoken with her many a time and know her well." She held out her hand and Zethina clasped it. "Well met, Sister, the Emperor has truly smiled upon us this day."

"If only to carry out his will." Zethina gave a solemn smile. "Well met, Canoness Lethe."

"We have much to discuss." Lethe declared. "Join me and Preacher Kyronev in the armoury."

"Of course, Canoness." Zethina replied.

The Canoness and her command squad walked back to the doors and exited the room; Zethina followed, quickly giving the other sisters present a last glance.

She was led through another two smaller rooms, one of which had had the ceiling collapse in exposing the pipe works in the attic and the other had one large hole in the outer wall. Both had several sisters in each, many wounded and those who did not wear helmets looked tired.

They turned down another corridor and started heading into the middle of the barracks building. Zethina had never been inside this building before the betrayal but knew that most barracks kept their armoury rooms in their centres.

The Canoness opened another door that led into another large room like the one Zethina had come from. Unlike the one she had come from, this one was a deal longer and had no damage to the walls or ceiling. Lining the walls were weapon racks full of lasguns with a few exceptions and lockers that had been smashed open.

Another dozen or so sisters were waiting for them as they entered, two wielded heavy bolters and another couple had storm bolters and flamers but for the most part they held standard bolt guns. The group was a mixture of members from both Orders and Zethina scanned the faces and helmets for someone she would recognise.

The group parted as the canoness led them through. Zethina continued looking as she followed her through but saw no one she knew on a personal basis.

_They can't all be gone._

The Canoness continued to the back of the room and opened a smaller wooden door and beckoned Zethina inside.

Inside was a smaller room with a large circular table in the middle by which two sister superiors sat with preacher Kyronev. The preacher wore a tattered robe, had a hard aged face and had short grey hair. Each of the two Superiors present were of a different order, Zethina recognised one of them as Sister Superior Kelsi of sixth squad, her helmet was upon the table and her chainsword hung on her belt loosely.

"Sister Zethina." Kelsi said in a surprised tone.

"Well met, Sister Kelsi." Zethina nodded back.

"So we weren't the only one's to survive." Preacher Kyronev allowed a slight smile.

The Canoness sat down upon one of the chairs drawn to the table and looked back up at Zethina.  
"Sit, Sister Zethina, please."

"Thank you, Canoness." Zethina drew forward another table and did as she was bid.

"Now then." The Preacher said, "Tell us everything, what sequence of events unfolded to bring you here to us now."

Zethina cleared her throat.

"Of course, my lord. My squad and I were in the courtyard nearest to our quarters, training and sparring for further conflicts when a team of marines belonging to the Roaring Lions chapter entered through the southern entrance."

The Canoness and the Preacher exchanged a remorseful look before turning back to her.

"Continue." The Canoness ordered.

Zethina grimaced at the memory and continued.

"_Excellent swing, Sister!" Joss remarked as she parried against Sister Gretel's downward arc from her chainsword with her own._

"_I thank you, Sister." Gretel said through clenched teeth as she forced the blade further. "I shall have to teach you sometime."_

"_I believe I shan't be needing such a lesson." Joss twisted her sword causing it to shrug Gretel's grip off before flicking it up towards her sister's shoulder._

_Gretel stepped back and barely dodged the incoming strike. She raised her blade once more and returned another swing, a swing that Joss caught once more and they both locked once more._

_Zethina smiled. Her sisters in the squad were a force to be reckoned with, but they would forever hone their skills and improve on every front. _

_She thought back to the battle within the city from the previous day, dozens of the civilian population had rioted through the streets looting and pillaging as they went. The crowds had murdered and raped their way through several hab districts before their orders and the Roaring Lions had arrived._

_The crowd amazingly did not flee at once. The instigators of the riots had employed the use of vox casters and proclaimed loudly that the Imperial forces present were traitors to the Imperium and were Heretics here to kill them._

_The Roaring lions captain had responded to these allegations by ordering his sniper teams to eliminate the men preaching the lies._

_As soon as the first shots had been fired all hell broke loose. The forward ranks of the crowds were obliterated as volleys of bolter fire tore into them. It didn't take long for the rest of them to begin their retreat but at least three hundred of the crowd had already been slaughtered by that time. _

_The scout teams who had picked off the instigators continued to fire into the retreating crowd as they ran. The rest soon trampled any they hit but did not kill and the falling bodies caused more to trip and subsequently follow them in their fate._

_The crowds of rioters were met by another force of her sisters and the space marines who had set up another choke point where they were retreating. A single Vindicator round had been used in the conflict and yet it was enough to completely demoralise the enemy. The Imperial forces closed in around the crowd and slaughtered hundreds more._

_Not many had escaped and those who did would forever be in fear of reprisal, the Inquisition would at a later date have to make a decision regarding the city's fate._

_Zethina's thoughts were interrupted as Sister Maritha stepped beside her and spoke._

"_Sister Superior." She lowered her head respectively and beckoned for her to turn._

_Zethina turned and saw ten red and crimson space marines stood in front of the open double doors that led back into the corridors of the fortress. All of them were in full battle plate and held their weaponry in a relaxed stance. Their Sergeant had his a chainsword in his left hand and a bolt pistol in his right, his lion crested helmet stared back at Zethina stoically. _

_None of the marines spoke and they all remained still._

"_Sergeant?" Zethina said expectantly. The rest of her squad stopped their training and turned to regard the marines._

_The marines remained still as statues and didn't say a word._

_In her peripheral vision, Zethina spotted Joss reach down for her bolter. _

"_What is she thinking?" Zethina thought angrily._

_The audible click of the Space marine Sergeant's internal vox unit within his helmet broke the silence within the courtyard and for the first time since they had spotted them, the marines moved. The marine next to the Sergeant held his bolter in one hand and reached backwards onto his belt with the other. He drew a grenade and flicked off the pin._

"_No."_

_The thought did nothing to stop the grenade from being thrown and she drew her sword as it sailed past her head. The courtyard exploded into life with the flashes of bolters and the screams of her sisters. Maritha cried out next to her and before Zethina could turn, a loud BANG rang out behind her and she was sent flying violently to the ground face first._

Zethina shuddered as she finished her recollection. Canoness Lethe grimaced along with the rest of the sisters present.

"They murdered my Sisters and I could do nothing to prevent it." Zethina growled.

"The rest of our stories are similar to your own," Canoness Lethe said remorsefully, "My retinue were accompanying me to a briefing that had been called by the traitor Captain Praetus, the fool must not have taken into account how long it would take us to cross the entire fortress to his chambers and enacted his betrayal prematurely. We came under fire in the western wing of the fortress and hunkered down by the Emperor's shrine. Two of my sisters died before we reached the cover and another three would before it was all over. We were fortunate as Lord Kyronev here had been late to the briefing also and was able to take our attackers unaware."

Kyronev nodded as the Canoness spoke.

"We realised the nature of the betrayal that was occurring and went to help others." Kyronev explained. "We managed to rally thirty-four of our kin including ourselves, since last night we have lost six of those."

Zethina felt numb. _Twenty-eight out of approximately a hundred…_

"The cowards had been waiting for us." Kyronev said with bile thick in his voice. "The vehicles were destroyed by their accursed Devestator teams and the courtyard outside was littered with bodies of our sisters before we arrived." Zethina could see the Preacher's repressed grief showing in his leaking eyes. "Countless of our kin were slain by those they stood with on the walls, Sniper teams picked off those seeking to run and others were mercilessly executed while seeking an honourable death."

"The Heretic swine have made a mistake though." Canoness Lethe said, "They have split their forces in two, and the smaller part of the two has been left here while the other has headed off to Keelo. They must have thought none of, or less of us had survived their betrayal."

"To what end have they gone to Keelo?" Zethina asked.

"They seek to rally the surviving populace." Kyronev spat, "Their Captain is gathering the fodder to mould his Empire with."

"Empire? My lord?"

"The Captain has been based on this planet for little under a decade." Canoness Lethe replied. "The Roaring lions' fifth company has defended the system for even longer, he has finally decided he deserves to rule it, independent of the Imperium."

"Madness." Kyronev growled, "Heresy."

"Madness that he and his company have been dragged into." Lethe grimaced. "We have come to realise that the uprisings within the cities were not that of betrayal."  
Zethina's eyes widened as she realised.

"_THE ANGELS OF THE EMPEROR ARE NOT HIS ANGELS AT ALL, RATHER_

_TRAITORS AND HERETICS!"_ One of the messages through the vox had screamed during the riots.

"They were crying out for help." She felt a sharpness in her stomach and she was immediately overwhelmed by shame. "We killed…"

"Their Chaplain had been corrupting the populace to fit the Captain's edict. Many welcomed the prospect of being ruled by one of the Emperor's angels, but as we all saw many did not." Canoness Lethe continued.

"This attracted the attention of the Inquisition." Kyronev spoke up, "When asked, the Captain insisted that the uprisings were of a heretical nature but nothing his company could not handle, the Inquisition, as you know, thought otherwise."

"As a result of this deceit, hundreds of innocents have been put to the sword as well as our own." Canoness Lethe said through clenched teeth, "We cannot contact the Inquisition or Heroxes from here as the cowards have disabled all communication."

"Could they have taken their other force to Heroxes?" Zethina asked.

"No, we know they have gone to Keelo."

"Excuse me for asking, my lady and my Lord," Zethina said, "But how do you know all of this in such detail?"

"You never asked why_** I**_ was late to the briefing." Kyronev said with a sad cheer in his voice.

Zethina looked at him expectantly.

"I was late to the briefing because one of the lions came to me." Kyronev said, "He came to me and told me everything they were planning."

Zethina's eyes widened.

"With this we have an advantage." Canoness Lethe said, "Within their ranks is a loyalist."


	4. Chapter 3: Brother Sergeant Silon

Brother Sergeant Silon's eyes were heavy behind his faceplate. His bolt pistol hung loosely in one crimson hand and his chainsword in the other, he had been staring out at the hundreds of skinny men and women for half an hour now, standing still as possible.

Surrounding him were the marines of his squad and alongside them, the marines of six other tactical squads all of whom were standing immobile and staring out at the crowd in silence like him.

Lining the edges of the square were the chapter's Predators, Vindicators and Whirlwind battle tanks as well as many Rhino transports. All of the vehicles had their tank commander manning the storm bolter that hung above their respective entrance hatches, the storm bolters were all poised at the people within the square and those manning them also remained silent.

The marines and the crowd were within the large and open square in the city of Keelo that had been used for military parades and large public events such as swearing in new hive governors and welcoming high lords from other wealthier worlds.

This hive's governor had been murdered a week before at the hand of Chaplain Eisen. The blame for his death had however been pinned on rioting cultists that were ravaging their way through the streets. Silon growled quietly. The "rioting cultists" had been nothing more than men and women brave enough to remain loyal to the God Emperor under this new tyrannical rule. The "ravaging through the streets" had been their company's lie to the Inquisition.

When the sisters had assisted them in Keelo two days previous, the crowds at the hab district had been innocents attempting to help any survivors within, following the actions that the scout team Captain Praetus has sent ahead of time's actions.

The scouts had murdered dozens of innocents within using melta bombs and bolters and knives. Their heinous acts had attracted a large crowd which soon brought hundreds more to bear witness to the violence that had come at the hands of the space marines.

And when the crowd met with their aggressors face to face they did not back down.

Silon stifled a groan as the memories of the following slaughter washed over him and he snapped back to the present.

Ahead and to the left of his squad stood the six bulky forms of the company's Centurion suits, the suits were larger than Terminators and each had a heavy weapon built into each arm. To the right and in line with the centurions were the two dreadnoughts that remained to the company; the third had been murdered when the Captain's notion of betrayal became public knowledge within the company.

Silon glared. The Dreadnought was a hero reborn as to further serve the Imperium, he had deserved to fall in battle fighting the Emperor's foes, but instead he had been destroyed by a multi melta while restrained by machinery within their battle barge.

Silon had wished he could of died alongside those who refuted the Captain's betrayal, oh how he wished. Yet here he was, staring out at a crowd of soon to be traitors awaiting his glorious leader's verdict.

As if on cue, the bulky and crimson form of a company Thunderhawk flew low over the city. The crowd suddenly came alive with various sounds of awe at the graceless craft's flyby. Silon rolled his eyes and continued to glare out at them, unmoving.

The Captain had already been in the city and had not the need for the Thunderhawk past shocking the crowd and displaying his power. Silon heard the Thunderhawk turn somewhere behind him and soon heard the thrusters easing the Thunderhawk into a landing. Wind kicked up dirt and discarded items that had been lying on the floor sending them flying over the backs of the space marines that were behind Silon's squad and then over them and finally over the front of the crowds who were at least ten feet away from their lines.

The men and women at the front recoiled and shielded their faces from the incoming barrage of dirt. One woman held a newborn in her arms and buried its face in her own while clenching her eyes shut.

The space marines present remained ever still and Silon could hear the Thunderhawk's forward ramp groaning open The Thunderhawk powered down and as it did, Silon could hear several sets of heavy footsteps coming closer to his position.

Captain Praetus flanked by his command squad and Chaplain Eisen strode ahead of their standing positions and came to be in line with the Centurions and the Dreadnoughts. Every marine present's eyes were on him but none turned their heads, the crowd reacted with fear and hushed talk sweeping across it.

Captain Praetus' relic blade hung from his waist and he walked with his left hand upon its hilt while the Chaplain walked with his now defiled Crozius at his side.

Silon glared as he observed the clipped wings of the Aquila upon the crozius and the visible scarring the eagle's masterly crafted twin heads had suffered under a techmarine's torture.

The Captain's lion crested helm silently roared back out at them, as he stood there immobile for a few moments.

"You all know why you are here." The Captain's voice was loud enough for the thousands within the crowd to hear.

The crowd shifted and none of them spoke, whether it was because of fear, awe or both, Silon could not tell nor did he care.

"You are here to receive a second chance." The Captain continued, "Many of you rallied against us. Rallied against this change in leadership, rallied against your salvation."

Silon noticed those at the front of the crowd's faces contort in fear and many began to shuffle backwards slightly.

"Some of those who did, escaped and are probably amongst you today."

A woman fell to her knees and began to sob hysterically, Silon could hear her repeating the phrase: "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry." If the Captain noticed her outburst, he chose to ignore it.

"But no shift in power is ever smooth and without its sacrifices, my brothers know this better than anyone."

Silon tightened his grip on the chainsword's hilt and resisted shooting his captain in the back of the head.

"I am here to tell you a simple truth." He paused, "If you serve under us, you will not be mistreated, you will continue on with your lives, the only difference will be that you will not be working and slaving away in the manufactorums for the Imperium anymore, you will work for us."

He began to take slow steps forward towards the crowd and more specifically towards the crying woman.

"Should you choose to rebel," He said as he walked, the people around began to back away from the sobbing woman on the floor all except a man with glasses who was begging her to stand up. "Should you choose to…**resist**," Praetus grabbed the woman by the arm and yanked her to her feet, the man who had been trying to get her up cried out.

"No my lord, please!"

"Should you attempt to cause civil unrest," The Captain turned on his heel and began to drag the hysterical woman back towards the rest of the Company.

"My lord! She's my wife, please don't!" The mortal man went to follow him and was replied with every marine present including Silon cocking their weapons and aiming at him in a symphony of clicks and priming whines.

"Should you defy me…" The Captain paid neither the man nor the marines any heed and continued walking back towards his brothers with the woman in hand.

The man stopped at the noise and with tears and snot running down his face fell to his knees.

The Captain turned and held the woman up by the arm at the crowd.

"You will rue the day you were brought into this cruel world."

The woman in the captain's grip huffed and cried and sobbed for all the crowd to see and her supposed husband bawled in front of them.

"You." The Captain said suddenly, the man looked up at them with red eyes.

"Yes, M-my l-lord?" The man stammered through his sobs.

"Come and collect your betrothed." Praetus ordered, "Take this to be an act of kindness." He said all of this loudly enough for the crowd to hear the conversation.

The man got up slowly and paused a moment before walking carefully towards his wife with his hands raised and his head constantly turning to look at the dozens of armoured monsters aiming weapons at him.

He reached the captain and stood with his head lowered.

"Here." The Captain held the sobbing woman out by her arm, her feet dangling inches from the ground.

The man warily looked up and reached out for his wife. Silon knew what would happen before it did and he grimaced.

The Captain effortlessly threw the woman at least six foot into the air and caught her by the throat with the same hand. The man gawped and the Captain clenched his hand into a fist.

The crowd joined the man in a scream of terror as the woman's flesh melted around the Captain's armoured fingers. Gore and pieces of shattered bone rained down upon the man who was now quivering and shaking uncontrollably with his mouth agape.

Silon kept his pistol trained on the man who had collapsed once again. Captain Praetus had managed to keep a hold of both the woman's torso and her head; he took a step forward and dropped the blood spurting remains on top of the man.

"Take that as an act of discipline." This time his voice played through several louder vox casters located upon the vehicles that lined the crowd.

The people in the crowd were still screaming and many began to panic and force their way through others. The gunners upon the vehicles cocked their stormbolters and stood ready facing the now unruly crowd.

"Awaiting commands." One voice clicked over the vox network.

"Weapons ready, Lord." Another followed.

"Silence!" The Chaplain commanded, also using the vehicles' collective vox casters, "Bow you dogs!" The Chaplain then stepped forward to stand beside the Captain and retrieved a book from his belt.

The Captain knelt down on one knee and stared at the man who was lying limp and whimpering under the bloody body of his wife. Even from where he stood, Silon could see the man and his eyes told all. The man had lost his mind.

"Your wench of a wife practically confessed to being one of those who rose up against me, what would you have me do? Leave her unpunished?"

The man shivered and whimpered, refusing to look at the monster before him.

Praetus stood up as Eisen flipped through the pages of the archaic looking book in his hands. The crowd was starting to grow quieter into a collective of soft whimpers of fear and moans.

Silon could imagine the Captain's smug grin behind that beautifully crafter helm as he spoke the next part of his speech.

"My empire will be long lived and prosperous, return to your homes and spread this message, carry on as you normally would, my warriors will be in and around the city to make sure you are all safe."

The Captain turned on his heel again and began to walk back towards the Thunderhawk. His command squad fell in behind him leaving only the Chaplain to address the crowd.

"KNEEL!" Eisen's harsh voice roared through every vox caster in the square and the crowd began to hastily kneel,"The Emperor is a false idol." His voice droned over the crowd, "The Imperium is a rotting edifice, Terra is a lie, work makes you free."

Silon closed his eyes and mentally fortified his mind against this heresy.

_I will kill that Bastard. I will kill all of them. _

After approximately forty-two minutes of the Chaplain's heretical preaching, he closed the book and clipped the binder around its spine shut. He then turned from the crowd and strode towards the open Thunderhawk and disappeared within. The ramp began to rise and the vehicles around the crowd all began to move at once. Once they had all driven past the Thunderhawk, it took off and drifted gracelessly over the terrified masses.

Silon lowered his pistol away from the whimpering man who was still lying under his wife's immolated corpse and was soon mirrored by his squad and the squad next to his and the one next to them.

"All Squads to designated transports, rendezvous at Western district grid 2-47." The Captain's voice rattled through every marine present's vox network.

Immediately the marines present mobilised and began to march towards the line of rhino's that had driven past them minutes before.

The crowds of people began to hurry towards the exits of the square as the marines walked away and Silon could hear the roar of the Thunder hawk's engines as it came for another pass.

Silon was the first to enter his Squad's transport. As he walked up the small ramp and into the belly of the vehicle, he holstered his pistol and sheathed his chainsword. He turned and watched as each member of his squad entered the Rhino.

First was his good friend Jargen, Jargen was his team's melta gunner but was also deadly with a blade in his hand, he had known him for a long time and hid his devastation when he discovered that Jargen had accepted the Captain's prospect of leaving the Imperium behind.

Jargen stopped in front of Silon and took his helmet off, revealing his younger looking face. He had trimmed brown hair and a clean shaven face, the only sign of battle upon his features was a small scar above his eye brow that he had acquired at the tip of an Ork's axe.

"Some message." Jargen smiled darkly.

"Yes, made quite a point." Jargen couldn't see that Silon did not return the smile behind his helmet.

Filing in behind Jargen was Kherot, Kherot had been a good man, but upon the night they betrayed the Ecclesiarch battle Sisters, Silon had seen Kherot beat one of them to death with the back of his bolter.

Silon ignored the rest of them as his mind suddenly reeled back to the night before, the shame that washed over him was nearly too much to take.

Silon had meant to elude his squad and any other duties he had to carry out so that he might tell one of the Battle Sisters' leaders of his company's heresy. He did not care if he was executed for treason along with the rest of them, just as long as they were stopped.

It was then that the Chaplain relayed the orders over the private vox. That night they would betray their allies by murdering every single one of them.

Silon had to act fast.

He had left his squad to arm themselves while he set off to warn the Sisters. He had not made it far before he found an aged Preacher walking through a corridor. Preachers were regarded highly within the Ecclesiarch forces so he decided with such little time to spare he would have to tell him.

"_Preacher, we must speak." Silon said urgently._

_The man looked up at him with a hard look._

"_Can't talk now, Astarte, I have been summoned to a briefing and with all the damned stairs I have ahead of me I can't afford to waste time."_

"_You must listen." Silon turned around to make sure no one was with them, he then took off his helmet and lowered his voice._

"_My Captain has betrayed the Imperium, his story of heretical insurgencies within the city of Keelo is fiction, and a month ago he and the Chaplain and certain other members of their inner circle came forward and announced that the company would be abandoning the Imperium. Many were killed. None of this matters for now as he has just given an order to eliminate all Ecclesiarch forces within the Fortress, you must act quickly, warn the others."_

_The Preacher's eyes had widened and one of his hands now rested upon the hilt of an Eviscerator that hung by his side. _

"_Wh-The heresy-"_

"_-You must act quickly." Silon put his helmet back on. "They will act soon."_

And with that Silon had turned and left the Preacher and headed back to his squad.

He did not know if the Preacher had survived the night, but he knew from the reports their biker scout squads had brought in that there was still a small force alive and kicking inside the fortress.

If the Captain was bringing the company back to Armryt, then Silon could help them. However if the Captain was condemning them to stay here and police the hive city of Keelo, then Silon could help no one and would simply have to wait for the Inquisition to notice something awry and subsequently die a traitor with the rest of his kin.

The Rhino drove down the cobble stone streets for ten minutes or so before reaching their destination. Their rendezvous so happened to be the scene of the massacare that had taken place outside the hab district. Silon grimaced as he spotted the piles of rotting bodies left from two days before, he exited the transport through the side hatch and waited for his squad to form up. Kherot stepped ahead of Silon and observed the bodies.

"How frail mortals are." He remarked.

"They do have a tendency to explode when you shoot them." Allister's smug voice rang out from behind Silon.

Allister had always been a piece of work, even before their company had abandoned the codex Astarte's and the Imperium. He had always enjoyed cruelty and Silon had often sent him to Chaplain Eisen for penance after seeing him carry out such acts, a good example of one would be upon the world of Juroura IV where the company had fought against a force of the upstart Tau Empire.

Allister had cut one of the Tau fire-warriors down in battle by severing its leg from its body. This was to be expected in war, however after the battle Silon found that Allister had returned to this fire-warrior and was prolonging its suffering. He cut off its slender fingers, gored one of its eyes and he had begun to attempt skinning it before Silon had intervened by stamping on the Xenos' head, killing it instantly.

Allister had enjoyed the betrayal at the Fortress Silon akin to the purging of their own chapter as Silon had expected her would. He had arrived back to his squad in time to see them gun down three sisters whom had been walking back to their quarters and led them around the fortress attempting to avoid any area's that might hold survivors.

Unfortunately his squad had come across a room filled with Sisters of Repentia. The scantily dressed warriors had charged his men with their chainswords screaming.

Allister had drawn his combat knife and engaged the first one to reach them in melee, while the others merely fired rounds from their boltguns.

The conflict with the sister had not lasted long, Allister managed to use his superior weight to knock her off balance and then slit her throat with the grooved knife. He had then held her up by the neck and watched the life choke out of her open throat.

Silon hated Allister and when the time called for it he would kill him.

The Captain's Thunderhawk was already there as Silon had suspected it would be and in front of it stood Captain Praetus, his command squad, Chaplain Eisen and a mortal man dressed in a fine officer's uniform. Captain Praetus was not wearing his helmet instead holding it by his waist. The mortal was talking with the Captain and had to look up to retain eye contact.

Chaplain Eisen stepped away from the rest of them and towards the squads that were approaching.

"Squad leaders forward for a briefing!" Eisen's harsh voice rang out over all the space marines present.

Silon began to walk forward as did all the other Sergeants present. One of the Centurion suits stepped forward, powered down and then the marine within stepped out of the back before walking towards the Chaplain.

The Captain, his command squad and the finely dressed man entered the Thunderhawk and only then did the Chaplain permit the gathered Sergeants to do the same.

Inside the belly of the Thunderhawk, Captain Praetus stood with the mortal man stood next to him and his command squad waiting behind them both.

Chaplain Eisen went to stand next to the Captain and turned back to the Sergeants who were gathering in front of them.

Overall there was seven Sergeants present, Four tactical squad Sergeants, Silon included, Zeit, a Centurion Sergeant, Ghregor a Devastator team Sergeant and Tech Marine Markov who commanded the Predator formations. The rest were either back at Fortress Armryt, had died at the hands of the Sisters in retaliation of the betrayal or had been murdered by their brothers after they had not agreed to abandon the Imperium.

The Captain stepped forward and smiled.

"Brothers."

The word stung Silon; these traitors were not his brothers, not anymore, and the Captain least of all.

"We have made the first couple of major steps in the conquest for our independence, but there is still more to do."

Captain Praetus turned to the mortal man and put a large hand on his shoulder.

"This is Officer Ollivar, he is a man with a very specific and useful skillset."

Ollivar grinned smugly.

"Officer Ollivar goes by another name. _Princeps _Ollivar."

Markov let out a bark of laughter.

Silon refused to believe it.

"As you might have guessed, brothers," Praetus gave a sly grin, "We have the means to acquire a machine god and now-" The Captain put both hands on Ollivar's shoulders, "-now we have the means to use it."

Silon's mind went blank. The traitors would use a Titan to further their interests.

"None of you are stupid enough to believe the Inquisition won't find out about what transpired here with their precious sisters of battle I'm sure, with this man we have a game changer."

"Where is this Titan?" Zeit spoke up.

"You dare talk out of turn, whelp?!" Chaplain Eisen barked.

"It's quite alright, Eisen." The Captain said dismissively, "The Reaver Titan known as _Mourning Fury_ is being brought to Heroxes in preparation for maintenance, once its there we will kill two birds with one stone, we will take the Titan and destroy the Ecclesiarch air force present at the same time. After that I can assure you the mechanicus crews will repair the Titan as they usually would, they would never let a god machine like that to stay imperfect."

"I will require an escort through the titan." Ollivar said, "Also they will have to kill the Princeps who is currently operating the Titan."

"Won't the machine spirit reject a new Princeps?" Markov asked.

"Usually yes." Ollivar smiled, "But I am not a new Princeps to this Titan. I operated the _Mourning Fury _not ten years ago before I was promoted to a position in government."

"And after all these years the machine will still be as accepting?" Markov pressed.

"It will, I'm sure of it." Ollivar said as he looked back at Praetus.

"First we must return to Armryt." The Chaplain stepped forward, "There is still a small force of sisters holding out in the barracks, our force that remains there are having difficulty rooting them out."

"They'll need your tanks, Markov." Captain Praetus smiled.

"Aye, Brother Captain." Markov replied, "Vindicator shot combined with my Predators should do it."

"Worked wonders on their tanks, should work now." Praetus' joke invoked a laugh from all of the Sergeants except Silon. "Let's move out, we'll get back by nightfall."

Silon contemplated pulling out his bolt pistol and shooting Princeps Ollivar in the face. By doing this he would save countless lives and hinder the traitor company's defense against the Inquisition. If this were not the time to fufill his promise to Atellus then there would never be a time.

However, if they have a backup plan for the Titan then his death would be for nought and he could not further assist the Imperium.

So he exited the Thunderhawk and began trudging back towards his squad and their Rhino.

Jargen stepped forward.

"Sergeant?"

"We're headed back to Armryt." He announced as he walked through his squad-mates. "Mount up."


	5. Chapter 4: Crimson sky

_Shae hurried through the teeming crowds of people with her daughter's hand clasped in her own. Grunts of anger and annoyance preceded her as she delved deeper into the crowd but she ignored them, her goal lay ahead._

_The shrine building stood tall and glorious, stain glass windows with depictions of the Emperor's chosen smiting foes of the Imperium lined the walls and the inspiring visage of the Aquila was sculpted in gold above the building's entrance._

_She felt her daughter stumble slightly and looked down towards her._

_The black haired eight year old at the end of her arm regained her composure and continued to keep up with Shae's strides. Shae could feel tears welling in her eyes._

"_No." She thought, "She will have a better life with them than she could ever have here."_

_Shae was only thirty years old but looked and felt another decade older. Since the age of ten, Shae had toiled and slaved away in several manufactorums, served and cleaned tables in dozens of bars and low class resteraunt and even spent time working within the city sewers. The only love she had ever experienced in her depressing life was that of her dear Arthur Mc'noy. Arthur was a guardsman from the icy planet of Elysia. His regiment had landed upon her unimportant homeworld on their way to a siege-taking place upon another (and obviously more important) planet. They had met while he and a few of his brothers in arms had come into the tavern where Shae waited tables one evening. The two of them had gotten talking and after Arthur brought her a few drinks they soon found themselves back at her hab-unit._

_After that, the two of them had spent every day of that week together, Arthur had treated her well and Shae was already in love with her man from the stars. It was not to last however. The following week the Elysians were heading out and Arthur came to see Shae one last time. She told him that she was with child and that she was scared, he told her if he survived the coming war that he would come back for her and if not, he came from a noble family that would provide for them both._

_Neither of these things ever came to fruition. Shae's man from the stars probably died screaming for his mother or perhaps never even saw his death approaching. _

_Shae had raised their bastard daughter by herself, leaving her alone in the days while she worked and often only seeing her for a couple of hours every night cycle. As her daughter grew older she had become more self reliant and Shae often worried that she would resent her for her absence. _

_Shae finally reached the Shrine building's doors and shoved her way through the last part of the crowd. As soon as she stepped upon the slab stairs that led up to the door she heard a barked order of; "Halt!"_

_Shae looked up and saw a line of five Adeptus Arbites blocking the doorway. Each of them carried shock batons bar one who held a las pistol in his hand and beside one of them was an attack dog with cybernetic augments visible embedded in its fur._

"_M'lord, I beg of you." Shae cried out to the one wielding the pistol, "My daughter, she is here for the Confessor."_

_The Arbite holding the pistol retrieved a data slate from his jacket._

"_Name."_

"_Zethina, Lord." Shae quivered and looked down at her daughter. The little girl looked back up at her with a semi-confident expression across her face._

"_Send her through, you are not permitted to enter." The arbite then said._

_Shae looked away from Zethina and widened her eyes._

"_But my-"_

"_Your payment will be delivered to the hab-unit you stated upon the document you submitted, only the girl will enter."_

_Shae suddenly felt light headed. "So soon." she thought, "This is it."_

_Shae knelt down next to Zethina so her head was level with her own._

"_This is it, sweet one." Shae sniffed and wiped a tear from her cheek, "You will go into that building and become something greater, I promise you."_

"_But, but what about you, mother?" Zethina's little voice replied._

_Shae let out a sob like laugh and felt more tears advance from her eyes._

"_Do not worry for me, child. Knowing you have a better life will be enough for me."_

"_But mother-I don't want to leave you." Zethina had spent her life barely seeing her mother, but the time they had spent together had been heaven for her. _

"_Go, child. Go and see the stars. I love you." Shae hugged her daughter tight and after Zethina returned the embrace, pushed her towards the slab stairs._

_Her daughter took the couple of steps up the slabs and reached the arbites. The line parted and the man with the pistol beckoned her inside._

_Zethina turned back and looked at her mother in the eyes for the last time._

_Shae gave a tear filled smile back and felt herself slipping._

_Her brave little daughter turned and entered the Shrine building._

_Only then did Shae fall. She fell to her knees and buried her face in her hands and screamed in agony. She cried hysterically and prayed to the Emperor to watch over Zethina._

"_Find your father, Zethina. Find him and be safe." She said through her sobs knowing full well that it would never happen, not in a universe this cruel and unforgiving._

* * *

Zethina glared out into the body littered courtyard from one of the barracks' gaping wounds. The corpses of the marines she had killed an hour or so before were still lying where she had left them. Two Sisters that risked going outside had already looted the marine corpses that had been closer to the Barracks. They had retrieved several bolters and at least twelve magazines for them.

Crouched next to her were Jezail and Diona who had joined her in her watch.

Zethina had left the Canoness and the Preacher after they had concluded their conversation with the details of the Loyalist amongst the Lions.

The preacher had only described the marine as having a Deathwatch shoulder plate and being a Sergeant, the Marine had not had time to say anything before the betrayal occurred. The two leaders had also told her of Canoness Taula's fate, Celestian Phebia confirmed her to be dead after saying that she had seen Taula and her own Celestian squad enter the briefing room.

Zethina grimaced at the thought of it, even now the betrayal was so heinous and cowardly that she could not help but feel overwhelmed with hatred and grief.

"Sister Superior." Jezail said.

"Speak, Sister." Zethina said, not taking her eyes off of the courtyard.

"Do you hear that?" Jezail replied.

Zethina stopped a moment and listened. Turning, she saw the rest of the sisters in the room looking up and listening out.

"Do you hear it, Sister?" Jezail asked again.

Zethina stood and strode over to a higher up hole in the wall and looked out. Outside she could see the walls and spires of the outer part of the fortress and above that the sunless murky skies. Along with all that, she saw the source of the noise.

Flying in a perfect formation was the bulky and crimson form of a space marine Thunderhawk and either side of it was the smaller form of a Stormraven.

"They're back." Zethina said with a glare.

* * *

As Zethina expected, a minute later Canoness Lethe, Preacher Kyronev and their Celestian squad entered their room. As they had done so, the dull hum of the Thunderhawk's flyby echoed over the deathly silent fortress and was shortly followed by the higher pitch zips of the Storm-Talon escort fighters.

Zethina looked at the Canoness expectantly and Lethe immediately walked over to her. "Sister, Zethina. Sister Kelsi is commanding our sisters to the south of the barracks, I shall be joining them and the Preacher shall be remaining here. You are to repel any and all attackers for as long as possible, if we survive that, then we shall speak of further courses of action."

"I shall carry out your order, Sister Canoness." Zethina replied.

Lethe nodded and turned on her heel and left the room, her Celestians following suit.

Preacher Kyronev walked over to Zethina with his archaic sword drawn.

"We carry out the Emperor's judgement this day." He said loud enough for every sister in the room to hear. "Deffend against the traitors to the last!"

"We are bound by duty, led by honour." The sisters chorused in response.

Kyronev strode over to the back of the room and knelt before the ruined shrine to the emperor. Once the shrine had held over a hundred candles and the miniature statue of the Emperor had been pristine and detailed. Now however, the candles were strewn across the floor and the statue had sustained damage that had chipped the Emperor's face off as well as one of his mighty pauldrons.

One of the sisters who had ventured out to forage amongst the bodies outside approached Zethina.

"It may be a weapon that has been used to kill our own, but I believe you could make some use of it, Sister Superior." She held out a bolter before Zethina.

Zethina took the bulky weapon and thanked the Sister.

"What is your name, Sister?"

"Sister Jeane of the order of the wounded heart, Sister Superior."

Zethina had not noticed that the sister before her was not of her order; this was due to the fact that she wore no symbolic robes and the iconography upon her armour was badly damaged.

"I thank you, Jeane, fight well."

"And you, Superior Zethina." Jeane smiled.

Jeane then handed an extra magazine to Zethina and Jezail before hurrying over to another three Sisters on the other side of the room.

"Sister Superior," Jezail said.

"Yes, Sister Jezail?" Zethina replied as she looked over her new weapon, she had three magazines for the weapon and she planned to use them proficiently. Even so, the thought that this weapon had probably been used to slaughter her sisters the day before sickened her.

"I was just wondering, did any of our sisters from your squad survive, apart from yourself?"

Zethina shook her head grimly.

"None were spared the traitors' betrayal."

"None except you, Sister Superior." Diona said; her voice muffled because of the rebreather over her mouth.

"I never asked either of you, how is it you two escaped the betrayal?"

Diona hefted her multi melta onto here lap and gave out an audible sigh.

"My team had been up on the outer walls when it happened." Diona's voice lowered as she told the story, "Sister Superior Agnes had been called over by Sergeant Freinrik, the sergeant of the tactical squad stationed with us, and a moment later it began. Superior Agnes' head exploded from the bolt round that the traitorous bastard had fired into her face. The pure brutality of these marines is not lost to me. The entire tactical squad began to open fire on us and we attempted to fight back, but they had the element of surprise and we were few in number. Sister Helen ordered a retreat and we began to fall back towards one of the towers, I was the only one who made it inside. I decided I would rather die there with my sisters rather than be hunted through the halls of this forsaken fortress, I walked out of the cover firing my weapon, I killed three marines in one shot and then another two, but still they came."

Zethina listened intently and Jezail had her head lowered.

"Their sergeant fired his pistol at me, it hit me in the chest and luckily my power armour protected me, but the second time he fired the armour on my leg gave."

Diona extended her leg and revealed the red stained bandage that was tied to her shin.

"I fell and fully expected to die there, but that's when I saw her."

"Her?" Jezail echoed.

"Sister Kaltia." Diona turned and Zethina followed her vision to the Seraphim in the corner of the room. She was still talking with the two seraphim from the Order of the wounded heart and the red tints in her hair shone.

"Sister Kaltia came down from the heavens and kicked the Sergeant clean off of the walls before killing the rest of the marines present. She helped me inside and we both made our way through the fortress until we found the Confessor."

"I am sorry for your losses, Sister." Zethina said remorsefully, "But the Emperor smiled upon you that day by sending Seraphim Kaltia."

"Of that I have no doubt." Diona's face creased and though Zethina could not see it, she knew Diona was smiling wistfully, "I only wish he had smiled upon my sisters who died alongside me that day."

Their conversation was interrupted as Preacher Kyronev strode inbetween them and looked out into the courtyard. His aged face twisted into a grimace and his white hair blew in the wind.

"Won't be long now."

Zethina looked up at the Preacher. "Until what, Lord Kyronev?"

Kyronev did not turn back when he spoke.

"If this is their force returning, we won't last much longer. Once they bring their armour to bare we shan't be able to stop their advances."

"We shall die in service to the god-Emperor of mankind." Zethina said reassuringly.

"We shall die at the hand of traitors without warning anyone of their betrayal." Kyronev glowered out at the barren courtyard, "The cowards won't meet us on a fair playing field, they will fire at our walls until this old building buries us, like cowards same as before." Kyronev leant up against the part of wall that had survived whatever had made the hole in it, "I had a son you know, Khevin Yoren his name is. Last I heard, he had joined the Imperial guard and fallen on the battlefield fighting against an Ork invasion."

Zethina could see Kyronev's eyes welling up.

"I gave up everything to ascend in the holy ranks of the ecclesiarchy, gave up my old name, gave up my home and even my son, in service to our father." Kyronev's face once again twisted into a visage of fury. "I will not wait to be destroyed by our enemies on their terms." He turned to Zethina, "Superior Zethina, hold the line."

"Of course, Preacher." Zethina bowed. Preacher Kyronev turned and stomped across the room, the chains on his robe jangling and disappeared through the open door.


	6. Chapter 5: Resilience of hope

The Rhino transport finally stopped and Sergeant Silon gritted his teeth as he prepared for whatever sights would greet him outside. The ramp at the back of the vehicle lowered and slammed on the cobblestone ground outside, letting the murky sunlight seep in.

"Marines, disembark." He ordered. The other nine marines in the Rhino with him all walked out as one, their heavy footsteps clanging against the floor and the ramp as they went. Silon followed them and took in his surroundings. The Rhino had stopped just inside the main gate of the fortress; the once great gate building had been desecrated during the betrayal and now had mutilated bodies of battle sisters hanging where the various sculptures of heroes from Imperium lore had once been. Blood had seeped down from the corpses and had left long red stains against the dark brickwork and all of the power armour from the bodies had been removed.

Silon glared and fought to wrestle his emotions into submission. Around his squad's Rhino were the rest of the convoy of vehicles that had made their way from the city, Rhino's, Vindicators and Predators were all gathered here. The Captain's Thunderhawk no doubt, would be pass them soon and land on the other side of the fortress to rest upon one of the sky-shield landing pads that were atop the highest point in the fortress.

Silon walked ahead of his squad and his Rhino. The sergeants from the other tactical marine squads were forming a circle and talking amongst themselves, Silon joined the circle but did not say a word.

"Brothers!" A voice rang out from ahead of their circle. The Sergeants turned and Silon saw a group of fine marines walking towards them. Silon recognised the marine leading them as Sergeant Vangoune, on the night of the betrayal he had seen Vangoune strangle a Sister to death while stabbing her shoulder repeatedly until the limb fell from her writhing body.

"Vangoune!" Markov said cheerily as he shook the other marine's hand, "Heard you had a problem that only my tanks could fix."

"Would that if it were true, Brother." Vangoune laughed, "I could take the barracks, but I have already lost enough men to the wenches within and besides, I would never deny you the pleasure of doing what you love."

Markov laughed and smacked Vangoune's pauldron with his open gauntlet.

Silon also recognised the marine just behind Vangoune, Sergeant Neemphis, his bulky assault pack hung from his back and Silon could see several plasma pistols upon his belt as well as the Sergeant's helmet and his power fist hung and thrummed by his side. The Sergeant's bald head was recently scarred and his face was as ever twisted into a perpetual glare.

"Brother Neemphis." Markov's voice dropped to a more formal tone, "You're injured."

"And you're observant." Neemphis retorted spitefully, "Seraphim bitches killed three of my men before we finished them."

"Not all of _them_." Vangoune sneered.

Neemphis turned and glared at Vangoune's helmed face.

"No, not all of them. One wench with red mixed into her hair got away and gave me the scar you see before you." He beckoned to the groove along the top of his head.

"How unfortunate, brother." Greghor sniggered, "My devastators and I will look out for your runaway Seraphim."

Neemphis spat and folded his arms.  
The three marines behind the two Sergeants each carried a special weapon, one melta, one plasma gun and the last wielded a set of lightning claws and wore an assault pack.

"Brother, Adoine." Markov nodded in acknowledgement of the other assault marine, "I see you weren't one of the unfortunate three."

"'Fraid not, Brother Sergeant." Adoine replied. The helmet Adoine donned had had a golden Aquilla engraved into the forehead, now all that remained was the outline where it had been burnt out, no doubt by his own lightning claws.

Before Markov could continue, the lumbering form of the Thunderhawk drifted lazily overhead. Silon looked up with contempt as it passed them, shortly followed by the two faster forms of the storm raven escorts.

"If that doesn't make the bitches quake, nothing will." Greghor laughed.

Silon as ever remained silent but knew that the sisters would not last much longer.

"Come, brothers." Vangoune beckoned, "I'm sure our glorious Chaplain will have orders for us."

"You mean the Captain, whelp." Neemphis growled, "I ought to kill you for such impudence."

Vangoune unclipped the sheath that held his power sword and extended his arms out.

"You are welcome to try, Brother."

Neemphis shook his head and spat again. "Make haste."

Silon couldn't see it, but behind Vangoune's helmet he was surely grinning.

* * *

The courtyard was a ruin. The bodies of the battle sisters were dotted around the torn up ground and the larger forms of his brothers' bodies were fewer but still in high volume. This Silon could take solace in, but still, the sheer amount of dead sisters visible was atrocious. Their vehicles lay in ruin and the barracks looked as if it were standing on faith alone.

He stood alongside the other Sergeants and further alongside them stood the Captain and Chaplain Eisen, they were all looking out from a first floor corridor and all were in silence. The harsh wind outside blew and Silon could see the hair and the robes belonging to the dead sisters dancing with it.

"They have put up quite the resistance." Vangoune's formal and apologetic voice broke the silence.

"There should be none to put up any form of resistance." Chaplain Eisen's harsh voice replied, "How is it so many survived?"

"It was as if a portion of them had foreknowledge of our attack." Neemphis spoke this time, "We found several kill-teams that we had dispatched had been ambushed and there were other instances of our brothers being shot in the back mid battle."

For the first time in months, Silon smiled. He had made a difference; the old Preacher he had spoken to must have survived to some degree and aided others.

"Sergeant Markov." The Captain said.

"Yes, Brother Captain?" Markov replied.

"Bring your tanks to bare. Bring the garrison down upon them, this folly ends now."

"Aye, Captain." Markov clanged his fist against his breast in salute.

"As for you, Sergeant Vangoune." Silon turned and saw Captain Praetus walk over to face Vangoune, not a metre in-between them. "You will pay for this failure at some stage, I promise you that."

Vangoune lowered his head in respect.

"My life if forfeit, Captain."

"No question about it." Chaplain Eisen snorted.

Captain Praetus turned suddenly, took two steps over to Chaplain Eisen and threw a gauntleted punch at his face. Silon's eyes widened as Chaplain Eisen tumbled over with a loud crash. Every Sergeant present backed away.

"Do I need an echo for everything I say?" Praetus snarled down at the Chaplain, "You do not address the men when I am speaking. You forget yourself, Eisen."

The Chaplain got up onto one knee, picked up his defiled crozius and looked up at Captain Praetus.

"Of course, Brother Captain. _**I**_ forget myself."

Silon couldn't help but crack a smile behind his helmet. The Chaplain was highly responsible for the betrayal that had afflicted the company; whispering heresy in the captain's ear, spurring on the men,killing those who would not comply...

Praetus turned back to Markov and Vangoune.

"Get it done, we move on Heroxes at dawn."

Markov and Vangoune stood still as statues.

"Eisen, with me." Praetus ordered as he began to walk down the corridor. The Chaplain gave the gathered Sergeants one last venomous look before hurrying after their leader.

Silon looked down from the window he stood at and saw two dead marines lying in the dirt. One had a bright plasma singe mark across the back of his neck and the other another two upon his torso. Silon wished no mercy for these traitors, yet still grimaced at the thought of such a death.

"You heard the Captain." Markov said to the rest of them, "Let's take these wenches down."

The gathered marines gave a shout of approval and began to walk in different directions. Silon had to act fast, but how?

If he approached the building to warn the Sisters within about the attack he would be gunned down before he reached the door by either his own brothers or the sisters within. He could not contact those within via vox network as the fortress was still jamming any transmissions, he had no way to warn them. It was over.

* * *

An hour later, the stage was set. Markov's three auto-cannon sporting Predator battle tanks rolled into the courtyard and lined up alongside each other. Following them was the slow moving Vindicator, the cannon of which could level most buildings in a few blasts. Along with the armour, Silon and his squad stood alongside Squad Hastus, Jaime and Squad Vangoune. Vangoune's squad stood ready with the assortment of combi weaponry that was issued to most Sternguard squads.

Silon prayed. He prayed that the sisters would find an underground passage of sorts to escape through. He prayed that the other squads positioned around the courtyard that surrounded them would perish if they attempted an escape. All of this was folly however and would not come to fruition though and Silon stayed silent.

Silon looked back and saw the top half of Markov protruding from the tank commander hatch of one of the Predators.

"Let's do this, Brothers! Cleanse these holy wenches!"

"Death to the false Emperor!" The marines around Silon roared in response, "Hail Praetus!"

The Predator tank turrets began to rotate around and all came to face the weaker spots visible on the garrison walls and the Vindicator began to roll closer. Silon grimaced.

"Move!" Vangoune ordered and following his command, the Sternguards rose from their positions and began to follow the Vindicator.

"Move up!" Silon ordered half heartedly, his squad rose and began to move towards the barracks.

_Perhaps I'll catch a stray bolt round and be done with this charade._ Silon hoped. _Better yet I'll fire into these traitors, I'll die along with these brave sisters._

Silon gripped his bolt pistol tighter and began to think of whom to attack first.

Allister. Definitely Allister.

The marines grew closer and the Vindicator stopped. Silon's team crouched on the right side of the siege tank and Vangoune's on the left. Silon was behind Allister and could easily shoot the marine in the back of the head. Oh how he would relish in it, his squad may even be so surprised by his action that he could slay a few more before they killed him. "_This is why he sacrificed himself for me, this is why I was meant to survive."_

"Suffer not the heretic to live!" A strong female voice suddenly rang out.

Silon snapped back to the present and looked over at the barracks.

A silver clad sister of battle carrying a power maul and a plasma pistol had leapt through one of the ground floor windows and now faced them. In one moment she had landed and fired her energy weapon towards Silon's squad, the shot hitting brother Gerald square in the face. Gerald let out a yelp and dropped his bolter, his hands scrabbled at the glowing substance that was eating its way through his skull and he fell writhing to the ground.

Silon was stunned. He stared at the Sister who he now recognised to be the last Canonness. Her scarred face was contorted in pure fury and she was already sprinting out toward the space marine lines.

"Take her down!" Vangoune's voice roared.

But before a single shot was fired in return, more sisters appeared. Dozens appeared out of the darkness that the craters and the windows and the ruined stairwells provided. They all screamed battle cries and began advancing out into the courtyard.

Brother Kherot took two bolt rounds to the chest and he jerked before falling backwards. Jargen cursed as a bolt round struck his shoulder plate and he raised his melta toward the advancing sisters.

Allister fired a short uniformed burst from his bolter and soon the entire courtyard air was alight with the roar of bolter fire.

The Canonness, flanked now by several Celestians sprinted towards Silon's position, each firing their bolt pistols and with their swords raised high. Allister's gunfire took down two of the screaming Celestians and brother Horatio took down another one.

Through some blessing, the canoness and her last Celestian made it unharmed. She ran past the Vindicator's siege shield and immediately swung her power maul towards Horatio. Silon heard the crunch of bone and the screech of twisted Ceramite as the maul obliterated Brother Horatio's head.

The Celestian had passed her leader and had swung her chainsword at Jargen, who deflected the blow using his meltagun. He attempted to use his brute size and weight to knock her back but the agile and nimble form of the Celestian easily dodged the blow.

Allister stood and swung his bolter at the Canonness, catching her unawares. His blow knocked her over and she landed with a loud clang of her armour. Allister did not waste a second; he fired his bolter with one hand into her pistol wielding arm and drew his knife with the other hand. The Vindicator fired.

The Canonness screamed in pain and she screamed louder when Allister slammed his boot down on her other arm. He crouched down and jammed his combat knife into the Canonness' vulnerable stomach plating. She coughed out a goblet of blood and wheezed as Allister twisted the blade and pushed it deeper.

Silon looked back up at the battle and saw swathes of bolter fire cutting down the charging sisters. They dropped like flies and another Vindicator round ripped through the air and exploded against the building's now weak walls causing a partial collapse.

The Celestian exchanging blows with Jargen saw her Canonness on the ground and turned to swing at Allister. Unfortunately as she did so, Jargen fired his meltagun at point blank range and obliterated her mid section. She fell to the ground in two halves screaming in agony.

Through the dust and rubble of the building came the awkward stomps of a Penitent Engine, the sisters' equivalent to a dreadnought. The crazed pilot of the machine charged it forward with its flamers spitting forth promethium fuelled fire and its buzzsaw like weapons revving angrily. Autocannon rounds from the Predators smashed into it, causing it to swivel and stumble as it ran and a Vindicator round finally silenced it.

"Heretics!" The canonness's voice was barely audible over the roar of bolter fire and the screams from the dying sisters all around them but Silon heard her last words a moment before Allister withdrew his knife and swiped it across the fallen Canonness' throat.

An eerie quiet descended over the courtyard as the last of the sisters were silenced. The vindicator's cannon had smoke leaking from the barrel and all around the line the guns had gone quiet. Silon cursed.

The bodies of the sisters were everywhere ahead of him, their thick blood spread across the ground and their faces, pale and lifeless. Silon spotted two Seraphim lying dead not two steps from the garrison walls, perhaps one of them were the Seraphim that injured Neemphis. He would never know, he had stood by and done nothing.

Vangoune and his team moved forward amongst the bodies and started checking them, Silon followed suit and was surprised when he found Kherot following them, limping from his injuries yet very much alive.

Walking through the bodies filled Silon with rage. The decimated corpses around him had been their allies, their sisters. And now here they were, betrayed by those they considered brothers and dead in the dirt.

Silon suddenly recognised one of the bodies; the Preacher who he had warned upon the night of the betrayal. The aged mortal man had blood splattered across his front and his face was deathly pale.

Silon approached the mortal and looked down at him. To his amazement, the man was alive. He crouched down and removed his helmet, exposing his scarred but handsome face to the harsh winds.

"He-hereti-" The Preacher wheezed.

"It's me, Preacher." Silon said in a hushed tone, "Forgive me."

The dying Preacher looked back up at the Silon and seemed to recognise him.

"Y-you-" The Preacher spluttered, "Hel-Help at Heroxes" He gritted his teeth.

"Heroxes?" Silon repeated confused. But before he could continue the dying preacher interrupted him.

"And-An- gra- me th- emperor's- peace…"

Silon grimaced and closed his eyes.

"Do it or they'll thin- you a traitor-" The Preacher closed his own eyes and waited.

Silon stood and drew his pistol in one movement. He then looked down at the old man, who was muttering a silent prayer and fired at his head.

The shot alerted every marine in the area, Kherot was the closest and he walked over to Silon.

"Guess we missed that one, Brother Sergeant."

Silon looked down at the splattered gore and bone where the Preacher's head had just been and glared.

"You would presume correctly." Silon said bitterly before replacing his helm.

It was all over.


End file.
